Learnin multiple trades ?

[Freshstart2]

As some of you know i want to become an Electrician.
But is it worth learning another trade aswell to increase my opportunities ?

Thanks.

 

[DurhamSparky]

i know a few Elec/Gas... elec/plasterer gas/plasterers
always handy!!

 

[i=p/u]

your local college do hobby courses plumbing, woodworking, brickwork which will give you the basics and tilling..id say are good enough for the £20 fee

 

[Guest123]

I've often thought of becomming a electrummer or a plasterician.


I suppose some plastering knowledge would be handy for making good chases etc.

 

[i=p/u]

so when you are installing a shower do you get plumber to install or do it yourselves???

 

[Freshstart2]

I suppose learning an extra trade would increase work and then your pay ?

 

[topquark]

I've often thought of becomming a electrummer or a plasterician.


I suppose some plastering knowledge would be handy for making good chases etc.

... and for getting part time work in the local fracture clinic when things are quiet

 

[Geordie Spark]

As some of you know i want to become an Electrician.
But is it worth learning another trade aswell to increase my opportunities ?

Thanks.

Yes.

Before my retirement, I was doing plumbing, gas, heating, bathroom fitting, tiling & sparking.

The more strings you have to your bow & irons in the fire the better I think.

 

[Big n Daft]

BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS.
We sparks moan about our trade being devalued by plumbers, Kitchen fitters, uncle Tom Cobley an' all having a go at sparks work, all legal as well if under PartP defined scope and registered. How many defined scopers bending the rules???
See my problem with this, a little knowledge and all that.
Sparks is sparks, copper monkeys are copper monkeys, wood butchers are wood butchers. Stick to what you know and do one thing well, plenty of 2 week trades getting up the nose of proper time served tradesmen. This should not be allowed.

 

[timo]

This should not be allowed.

LMAO - Dont see a problem with it myself, long as you know what your doing and your competent there is no issue.

Some trades take longer than others to get good at and also qualified at etc.

Good luck with your choice mate

 

[Freshstart2]

BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS.
We sparks moan about our trade being devalued by plumbers, Kitchen fitters, uncle Tom Cobley an' all having a go at sparks work, all legal as well if under PartP defined scope and registered. How many defined scopers bending the rules???
See my problem with this, a little knowledge and all that.
Sparks is sparks, copper monkeys are copper monkeys, wood butchers are wood butchers. Stick to what you know and do one thing well, plenty of 2 week trades getting up the nose of proper time served tradesmen. This should not be allowed.

If i learnt another trade i would make sure i learnt it properly.

 

[ezzzekiel]

was a plasterer then decided to be an electrician so double traded and never did me no harm

 

[Knobhead]

The company I served my time with insisted your first year was spent doing electrical, mechanical fitting/machining and welding. Then you went in to your trade.
Over the years I’ve saved more than one fitters reputation by welding and the re-machining shafts and keyways. Once you learn it you never forget.
I’ve still got my Presto and Dormer workshop pocket books.

 

[Freshstart2]

Well i have nothing to lose im young and willing so i may aswell learn more than one.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Many maintenance jobs require you to have knowledge other than electrical.
Working on domestics will probably require you to have some knowledge of woodworking, plastering, and even plumbing and tiling.

 

[Big n Daft]

Many maintenance jobs require you to have knowledge other than electrical.
Working on domestics will probably require you to have some knowledge of woodworking, plastering, and even plumbing and tiling.

All trades require some of that.
But sparks shouldnt hang doors, plaster walls or weld for that matter.

 

[Big n Daft]

The company I served my time with insisted your first year was spent doing electrical, mechanical fitting/machining and welding. Then you went in to your trade.
Over the years I’ve saved more than one fitters reputation by welding and the re-machining shafts and keyways. Once you learn it you never forget.
I’ve still got my Presto and Dormer workshop pocket books.

Same here, C&G pt1 in welding, mechanical and motor vehicle.
The purpose of that is to give you an understanding and basic knowledge of other trades, not give any qualification beyond that. In other words you then know when get the fitter in.

 

[Big n Daft]

was a plasterer then decided to be an electrician so double traded and never did me no harm

No problem with that if you hold proper quals for the job and can prove competance

 

[johnboy6083]

I've done a lot of pipe fitting and some plumbing as well as sparking, but I'm only qualified as a spark. Im nowhere near good enough to be a plumber, but I'm a reasonable pipe fitter. And there is a difference. I know my limitations but I'm always willing to do something new.

As for sparks not welding, when I carried out my training in the Royal Engineers, we were taught how to silver solder and how to braze and arc weld. All good skills for spark, although rarely used nowadays I'd still be happy to solder lugs on if I needed to, but with modern compression tools I doubt I'd ever need to.

 

[Big n Daft]

I've done a lot of pipe fitting and some plumbing as well as sparking, but I'm only qualified as a spark. Im nowhere near good enough to be a plumber, but I'm a reasonable pipe fitter. And there is a difference. I know my limitations but I'm always willing to do something new.

As for sparks not welding, when I carried out my training in the Royal Engineers, we were taught how to silver solder and how to braze and arc weld. All good skills for spark, although rarely used nowadays I'd still be happy to solder lugs on if I needed to, but with modern compression tools I doubt I'd ever need to.

We are on the same page really.
Would you prepared to prove competance in your other "trades" ......erm NO.
That is my point, we all "do a bit" in our general dat to day activaties. Thats how it should remain. Unless you do it day in day out, forget it or retrain, its not like ride'in a bike.

As a spark you should be able to solder a joint!!!!

 

[Des 56]

As a spark you should be able to solder/// a joint!!!!

I stopped ypur sentence at that point because my answer up till there is most definitely yes
The other bit which I take means a pluming fitting then probably no

 

[Apollo]

In this day and age it's better to diversify....

If you look at previous threads on this great forum most people are unhappy at the amount of work they get. I've said it many times Just being a sparky these days is not enough. you need to know everything about running a business....

Me my self I'm doing my plumbing quals as we speak and yes i'm competant, even more so than full time served plumbers, but that goes with all trades, been plumbing for alot of years now and only now am doing my quals to progress my other quals further. Before someone jumps on the bandwaggon i'm not interested in gas and never will be I'm moving in another direction that i feel is right for me. you dont have to be gas qualified to be a plumber!

As for some of the posts on here all ready all i have to ask is this. If you really worry about what other trades think then you need to rethink your business model, what is wrong with one person being multiple traded? Why shouldn't a sparky be able to rewire a house and then complete the job by tying in the redecoration, customers are more happy with just one company and one bill for the complete job!!!!

 

[Big n Daft]

In this day and age it's better to diversify....

If you look at previous threads on this great forum most people are unhappy at the amount of work they get. I've said it many times Just being a sparky these days is not enough. you need to know everything about running a business....

Me my self I'm doing my plumbing quals as we speak and yes i'm competant, even more so than full time served plumbers, but that goes with all trades, been plumbing for alot of years now and only now am doing my quals to progress my other quals further. Before someone jumps on the bandwaggon i'm not interested in gas and never will be I'm moving in another direction that i feel is right for me. you dont have to be gas qualified to be a plumber!

As for some of the posts on here all ready all i have to ask is this. If you really worry about what other trades think then you need to rethink your business model, what is wrong with one person being multiple traded? Why shouldn't a sparky be able to rewire a house and then complete the job by tying in the redecoration, customers are more happy with just one company and one bill for the complete job!!!!

Yes correct. The only issue I have is use the correct trade for the job.
Nothing wrong with being multiskilled , just have the correct quals and prove competance with the correct body.
As regards business model, yes I should worry if the kitchen fitter I've been working for gets Part P certified.
"Just being a sparky these days is not enough. you need to know everything about running a business...." It always been that way, your trade does not mean that you can run a business.

 

[Big n Daft]

As a spark you should be able to solder/// a joint!!!!

I stopped ypur sentence at that point because my answer up till there is most definitely yes
The other bit which I take means a pluming fitting then probably no

Doh!!!!!
Solder a cable joint or the like.

 

[Freshstart2]

Im definitely going to become an electrician but any idea a trade i should learn aswel ?
Thanks.

 

[Knobhead]

Same here, C&G pt1 in welding, mechanical and motor vehicle.
The purpose of that is to give you an understanding and basic knowledge of other trades, not give any qualification beyond that. In other words you then know when get the fitter in.

What’s the definition of a fitter?
“An electrician with his brain removed!”

If anything goes wrong it’s always the electrician that gets the call. You then have to decide just whose job it is. But 9 times out of 10 you’ll end up to your eyeballs in grease helping the fitter.

Get a good fitter and it went both ways.

A comical incident was the plant manager finding Dave the fitter changing overload coils in a starter. “Where the hells Tony he should be doing that!” “Tracking a conveyor in the grinding plant.”
We trusted each other, if either got out of our depth then a quick call and we joined up.

 

[Des 56]

Doh!!!!!
Solder a cable joint or the like.

Well,coming from mining
We would solder and joint all sorts,all sizes,bring em on I say
Irons were close partners of ours in those days

I would still cross my fingers though when I solder a copper water joint

 

[sparks_114]

I am an electrician and will always be one God willing and this is my take on the subject:

Every Qualified and skilled tradesman should know his own trade to a professional standard (by definition) and should know every other trade to a DIY level. Electricians are no exception and where this may prove practical is if you've damaged a small patch of decor by ripping the paint as you took the socket off the wall are you going to call a painter to sort it out for you?! Likewise if you've taken the boxing off to x-bond boiler pipes and the wood is a little damaged are you again going to call a carpenter out?! Now what about learning multiple trades? Well my answer would be why would you want to? Are you not happy with being a spark? Or are you one of those money chasers who keep changing their trade and even profession every time they see the greener grass on the other side? Or do you simply want to be a superman know it all where you take it as a hobby to know all or more than one trade? Take your pick. For me, like I said, professional spark, DIY level everything else, make sense.

 

[NMc]

Getting a good apprenticeship with a good company you should be given a good in sight into other trades. We sparks need to turn our hand to most things these days. remember each trade taken time to learn and it is better to be the best a one than ok at many

 

[Geordie Spark]

We are on the same page really.
Would you prepared to prove competance in your other "trades" ......erm NO.
That is my point, we all "do a bit" in our general dat to day activaties. Thats how it should remain. Unless you do it day in day out, forget it or retrain, its not like ride'in a bike.

As a spark you should be able to solder a joint!!!!

I can solder a joint in cable and in copper & lead pipe and I can roll a joint.

 

[roukel01]

Oh whats that old saying that comes to mind.....

Jack of all trades, Master of None!!!!!

 

[Freshstart2]

Just found an apprenticeship and i need help on the qualification
It says

You will be studying towards a Level 3 qualification in Electrical Maintenance and will be a fully qualified electrician at the end of your course.

Is this good or waste of time.
Thanks

 

[Freshstart2]

Another one says

EAL Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Installing Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment (Buildings, Structures and the Environment) (QCF)

 

[focusphil]

BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS.
We sparks moan about our trade being devalued by plumbers, Kitchen fitters, uncle Tom Cobley an' all having a go at sparks work, all legal as well if under PartP defined scope and registered. How many defined scopers bending the rules???
See my problem with this, a little knowledge and all that.
Sparks is sparks, copper monkeys are copper monkeys, wood butchers are wood butchers. Stick to what you know and do one thing well, plenty of 2 week trades getting up the nose of proper time served tradesmen. This should not be allowed.

BUTCHERS AND MONKEYS !!!! not very nice

 

[John Bunning]

yep been a sparks for 46 years. but along the way done a lot of other stuff.when i when a maintenance sparks.learned welding gas and arc/ compressed screwed barrell pipe work [compressed air and steam] plumbing. copper. did my own central heating at home and other houses on the side as you do /engineering lathe work .made some great models on night shift. steam traction engine etc and got payed for making it fantastic. no my advise have a go learn all you can .i have never been out of work

 

[NMc]

As I understand it QCF's are the new way forward

 

[Knobhead]

Just found an apprenticeship and i need help on the qualification
It says

You will be studying towards a Level 3 qualification in Electrical Maintenance and will be a fully qualified electrician at the end of your course.

Is this good or waste of time.
Thanks

Look at the company first, if it seems sound then go for it.